About Us...
Purpose
The life-affirming effort of aiding women, children and families in and around pregnancy necessarily includes the promoting and providing housing resources and extended care. Strong housing services are the result of committed individuals and organizations striving for excellence in all areas. To inspire excellence among maternity home providers and articulate a collective voice, leaders from various housing organizations have formed a National Maternity Housing Coalition.
We value all housing efforts that seek to overcome the challenge of homelessness. We know that there are many valuable organizations and heroic individuals who give tirelessly to providing housing. For a variety of reasons, we have limited our current coalition to life-affirming maternity homes with a Christ-centered leadership and/or service model.
The facilitator of the National Maternity Housing Coalition is Heartbeat International, formed in 1971 as an affiliation organization for life-affirming outreach. NMHC members will enjoy reciprocal membership in Heartbeat International and in its affinity group for housing. Learn more about Heartbeat International at:
For Service Providers: www.heartbeatservices.org
For the general public: www.heartbeatinternational.org
Leadership
The National Maternity Housing Coalition is lead by a governing Council elected from its membership. The Council operates in a partnership agreement with the leadership of Heartbeat International to actively serve, promote and facilitate membership activities and programs.
- Stephen Wallace, Gabriel Network
- Kesha Franklin, Lifeline Village
- Susan Barrett, Aid for Women
- Mary E Peterson, Facilitator & Housing Specialist, Heartbeat International
- Amber Hornsby, Esther Homes
- Leona Bicknese, Saint Child Maternity Home
- Peggy Forrest, Our Lady's Inn
- Suzanne Burns, MS, CFTP, Foundation House Ministries
- Sue Baumgarten, LifeHouse of Houston, Texas (NEW!)
- Beckie Perez, 29:Eleven Maternity Home, California (NEW!)
Connect
Housing Leaders may participate in our online Facebook group specifically for those actively involved in operations of a maternity home. The forum is a great place to pose key questions, build relationships with other homes, and engage in discussion of issues impacting our common work. Please seek out the group page and ask to be a member.